YouTube was first created in 2005, coming online toward the end of the year and almost immediately becoming one of the most popular websites on the internet in terms of users and volume. Of course, as you likely know, it was designed and setup to be a free website for users where people could post their own creative work and attract viewers by posting something really fun and enjoyable. It is hard to know whether the founders, even in their wildest dreams, pictured the behemoth that YouTube has become.
Of course, like all things, when people can use it to make money, they do and YouTube certainly does make money for a lot of people. The videos are still free to watch and to post, but there are a lot of groups and businesses that really do a brisk advertising business using those videos. There are bands that developed and became popular on YouTube before they paid their “dues” performing in smoky clubs or backrooms. This can be upsetting to some who might feel that they are not authentic, but just another fad like cute cats playing pianos. There are artists who perform hoping to gain an audience and businessmen who sell worthwhile and sometimes shady product through a YouTube platform.
When a YouTube video “goes viral” or is seen by so many people that it is almost as common as a cold bug sweeping through the population, it can really make careers if it is a great video that shows the person or performance in a great light. It can also, if the video paints the person or business in a bad light, absolutely destroy them. YouTube tries to keep an eye on the content and remove anything illegal or just plain revolting, but of course most of the time these videos only come to light when someone complains which means the video is already up on the site and being viewed.
Movie studios post trailers for an upcoming anticipate hoping to catch the magic and have their video make the big time and be circulated widely worldwide in a matter of hours. People try to get names for themselves by posting fight scenes, odd behavior, or disgusting graphics and try to grab a wave of viewers. These things have also come back to bite them. And most have heard of traumatized teenagers who get mocked on a YouTube video and are harassed ceaselessly because of the “fame.”
YouTube has been purchased by Google for a very large amount of money and Google naturally wants to capitalize on its investment and recoup the costs. There is no indication that YouTube is decreasing in popularity or becoming less relevant, so the business model of allowing free use and getting paid through advertising seems to still be their approach. It remains to be seen what will happen in the future. buy 4000 hours youtube watch time